Those of you old enough to have been impacted in any small form by Orson Welles’ 1938 radio broadcast of “The War of the Worlds” should appreciate Grover’s Mill Coffeehouse & Roastery.
Though this was far before my time and a subject matter that I snoozed my way through when it was mentioned in high school, now that I am older I find it deeply intriguing. For those of you hiding under a rock, in 1938, actor Orson Welles, directed and narrated a radio broadcast adaption of H. G. Well’s novel, “The War of the Worlds“.
Because this was a time before Google, smart phones, or any speedy form of technology readily available at your fingertips, his production fooled many into believing that Martians were invading America, specifically Grover’s Mill, NJ, a fictional city (which is currently an unincorporated community) located somewhere between Princeton and West Windsor, NJ. If you have the time, look the broadcast up on You Tube, it is a fantastic listen.
Grover’s Mill Coffeehouse is “dedicated to the memory of Orson Welles’ broadcast version of “The War of the Worlds”, and the lasting impression it made on American history and society.” The rest of their mission goes on to discuss the innocence of that time.
Talk about a mission I could get behind.
On our first visit, we weren’t able to get a true feel of the vibe because it was 8 pm on a Friday night and a Comedy Show had just begun. The place was packed with patrons ready for coffee and laughs.
On our second visit, I was able to take in the decor and gain more of an understanding to just how serious they are about their mission. From the “War of the Worlds” posters, to fan art, to antique radios in the corners, one thing is sure, they are for real about preserving the memory of “The War of the Worlds” radio broadcast.
I stinking love it.
Don’t judge me, but on our first visit I completely blanked out to what the name was of the drink Lance ordered. I only mention this embarrassing mistake of mine because what he ordered was….amazing.
Here lies my only issue with Grover’s Mill…their drink menu.
A lot of their specialty drinks have interesting names but no description as to what they are. Lance went on a whim and asked what the unknown latte he drank was and it involved blueberry, espresso, and, I believe, chocolate.
I ordered a cappuccino and was dealing with the intense jolt it was giving me (if you enjoy a Superman strong cappuccino, you’ll love theirs), while he was sipping on a lightly blueberry flavored chocolate cup of magic.
On our more recent visit, obtaining the name of this magical cup of Joe was impossible.* Lance ordered a vanilla iced latte, which was topped off with coffee ice cubes.
*That’s a lie. It could have been possible, but we are far too impatient for that.
Thus far in this coffee journey of mine I have only seen one other coffeehouse do this (and trust me, they both get bonus points for it!). I tried the Milky Way malt, an espresso drink with caramel, ovaltine, and steamed milk.
I know what you’re thinking, ovaltine? Really?
The flavor is so subtle and gives light chocolaty flavor to this delicious drink that you almost forget it is a product made for kids to continue requesting more and more of.
Naturally, we needed to try some goodies. The raspberry coffee cake was screaming to me from inside the case and the chocolate bundt cake strategically placed at the cash register made my mouth drool–so we ordered both. The only thing that could have made them better is if we had asked to have them heated up.
Not only does Grover’s Mill serve amazing coffee and create a nostalgic ambiance, but they also roast their own coffee beans. My greatest downfall in this coffeehouse journey is that I struggle with ordering a regular good ole’ cup of Joe. I get easily distracted by the bright lights of lattes and flavored drinks that I forget that most of these places specialize in their house roasted coffees.
If it’s any consolation, Grover’s Mill looks like they’ve got it going on in coffee production. I see myself rushing there on our first cold day to buy a few pounds of the good stuff.
Grover’s Mill Coffee
295 Princeton Hightstown Rd
West Windsor Township, NJ 08550
Leave a Reply